An Anniversary Message From Our Daughter

Happy 20 years to the dynamic duo who make it all happen. This day is supposed to be about them, but selfishly I celebrate a little too, because it’s the day my mom brought home the missing puzzle piece to our whole world. My big brother and I had no idea how monumental this day would become, how drastically our lives were about to change.

The opportunities we’d be given, the privileges we didn’t deserve, the kind of love people search their whole lives for... these two made it all happen with their “yes.”

Twenty years later, they still give me grief for crashing their first dance as husband and wife at their reception. 😉 I don’t remember exactly what 2 1/2 year old me was thinking at the time, but I can almost guarantee you I misunderstood the concept. It was less of a wedding day for me, and more of a family celebration day... because these two always (and still) went above and beyond for our party of four.

Before there was a baby brother, William, it was the four of us, every day, all the time. We had years of quantity time, days full of singing in the kitchen with Mom and Saturday morning cartoons with Dad.

I can’t thank them enough for getting married. They have a Life Giving Love. They gave us a fresh start. A reset. A new beginning.

Thank you, Mom, for marrying our best friend. I don’t want to brag or anything, but I’ll definitely take a little credit, because I like to think I sweetened the deal for you. Thanks for taking a chance on true love, not just for yourself but for all of us.

You deserved it, without a doubt, one thousand percent. I’m so happy you found someone who knows how wonderful you are. And because of that, you taught me what a wife and a mother should look like. The grass WAS so much greener on the other side, and we jumped that fence.

Thanks Dad, for choosing my mom. It was a good call. I know a kindergartner and a toddler aren’t typically part of the “newlywed package,” so I appreciate your patience with us, all 20 years of it. Thanks for giving us more than we ever could have dreamed of. The sacrifices you made, the daily hard work, it doesn’t go unnoticed. I promise. ❤️

The world is a much better place because the two of you are together. So, celebrate.

Listening to this song this morning with big giant hormonal tears in my eyes...

“When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new, it always winds up feeling more like a job interview. My momma used to wonder if she’d ever meet someone who wouldn’t find out about me and then turn around and run.

I met the man I call my dad when I was 5 years old, he took my mom out to a movie and for once, I got to go. A few months later I remember lying there in bed, I overheard him pop the question, and I prayed that she’d say yes.

And now, all of a sudden, it seems so strange to me how we went from something’s missing to a family. Looking back all I can say about all the things he did for me...

I hope I’m at least half the parent that he didn’t have to be.”

- “He Didn’t Have To Be” Brad Paisley